1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing a digital signature.
2. Description of the Related Art
When engaging in electronic commerce (e-commerce), digital (electronic) signature technology for electronically providing a personal signet using a certificate has been widely used in various fields such as online banking and the cyber trading of stocks. A digital signature provides security and convenience in a large number of e-commerce activities by functioning as a user's signet for e-commerce, thus contributing to rapid activation of online e-commerce services. Further, certificates have become essential in real life to such an extent that most adults who engage in economic activities in a domestic area are assigned certificates and use the certificates.
Such digital signature technology has been used in such a way that a user accesses a server for providing an online service, creates a digital signature on a personal computer (PC) or a smart terminal, and transfers signature content to the server through the PC or smart terminal. That is, existing digital signature technology is chiefly used in a situation in which a user is connected online to a service provider.
However, recently, with the rapid popularization of smart terminals such as smart phones or smart pads, which provide an Internet access function and on which various applications can be freely installed and used by users, e-commerce services have been activated even in an offline environment in which a user and a service provider perform trading in a face-to-face manner.
Therefore, an apparatus and method capable of providing a digital signature that may be intuitively and conveniently used by a user in an offline face-to-face trading environment are currently required.
In connection with this, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2013-0095363 discloses a technology related to “Cash Remittance Method Based on Digital Codes Using Hash Function and Electronic Signature”.